Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!TOPAZ.RUTGERS.EDU!ron
From: ron@TOPAZ.RUTGERS.EDU.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re:  Cellular Fraud
Message-ID: <12395@topaz.rutgers.edu>
Date: Tue, 2-Jun-87 11:29:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.12395
Posted: Tue Jun  2 11:29:25 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jun-87 01:29:25 EDT
References: <8705312136.AA01347@mimsy.umd.edu>
Sender: dlw@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 17
Approved: telecom@buit1.bu.edu


> The Electronic Serial Number is an 8 digit Hexidecimal number.  It is not
> easily changed.  Both the MIN, (Mobil Id Number, your phone number) and the
> ESN are sent out when you press the send key.  Your MIN is easily changed
> by reprogramming your phone, but the ESN is not easily changed.  To change

Make that, it is not supposed to be easily changed.  While the ESN is not
in that NAM (the EPROM with the phone number) in it's nice ZIF socket, many
manufacturers just put it in another ROM which anybody with a small amount
of electronics background can change.

I would expect the most common sort of Cellular fraud involves using
phones from another system through automatic ROAM agreements.  Presumably
the ESN/Phone number checking isn't as rigourous or as up-to-date in remote
systems as it is in your home system.

-Ron